My Love Affair With Ducks...

[duluthralphie]

We are just at the end of Summer now, heading into Autumn. Where we are in the mountains, we have four distinct seasons - Summer is June to Aug and literally on the 1st of September, the temp drops by 10 degrees celsius (thank goodness, August is too hot !).

I've had some really hardcore allergies kick in courtesy of middle age - it was horrendous, I had joint inflammation, the lot. Going vegan has really really helped and in a matter of days - its not all grated carrot and dry chickpeas, I mastered vegan cookies (biscuits or biscotti for us) as a priority

Generally speaking, I would much rather manage things this way than with drugs where possible. Its not even just about personal preference when you live very rurally - there are practical considerations as well and thats before I get to the language barrier !

Muesli I think is Granola for you guys ?

Other translations include:

Crisps (us) / Chips (you)
Chips (us) / Fries (you)
Scones (us) / Biscuits (you)
Biscuits (us) / Cookies (you)
Grill (us) / broil (you)
Hot plate (us) / grill (you)
Fanny (you) / don't use that in the UK. Really, just don't.............

I am sure there are way more - It's a miracle we can communicate at all !

Oh and yes, this is the easiest weight loss ever although there is plenty of it to go !

I am thinking it is hard to come here and learn proper English after years of speaking Britain English with all its errors...

One thing about the internet and all the choices we have for movies and TV shows is learning the slang of other English speaking countries.

However, because of my hearing loss, I find I need the closed captioning on to pick up the words on most British shows and movies. The accent makes understanding the words hard for me.

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

Very, very interesting. I’m sure if I changed my diet my arthritis wouldn’t be so bad. I need to eat better, for a myriad of reasons, but I don’t really see it happening.

Well, if English is not your native language you write it very well. Kudos to you.I can only speak English. I don’t know a second language and that is bad.

Diet changes don't work for everyone but the flare came in hard and I could barely use one of my fingers or either of my thumbs - bugger all in the grand scheme of things but I could not get away from it and NSAID's did nothing. Want to save steroids for much later on so tried the vegan thing and my god, the swelling went down in days and it became manageable to use my hands normally. Took three weeks for all but the smallest of twinges and whatnot to go. Am still eating sugar, wheat (spelt) and olive oil so its not the utter misery it could be !

There have been quite a few studies on doing a water fast and then going vegan on people with RA and I think something like 70 % saw benefit, hence me going there. I liked them odds.

I can't actually believe how much better I feel - only a couple of years ago I couldnt have eaten any more meat if I had tried and I would have laughed until I passed out if any one had even suggested I go veggie let alone vegan.

So you never know - you might try it !

English is my first language - we've been in Italy for two years and my Italian is still very bad but they have stopped wincing when we try to speak it which is progress.

I will try and moderate my Brit-speak here !

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

This morning the ducks gave me four, FOUR, eggs. I have suspected for a week or so that all four of them were possibly laying (all on different days), but I didn’t know for sure. But here’s the proof!View attachment 2327639

I have been a bit worried about Hershey lately because I have not gotten her little blue/green egg in several weeks. It’s like she just stopped laying.

When I opened their door this morning, there laid two eggs (the bottom two) in the yucky, wet area just inside the door. Then the other two were in one of their little nests. It is funny, but @WannaBeHillBilly, you called it way back. I posted a video of Petey and Ralphie acting really strange and rather loudly in their little area. I believe you said they are probably picking out a spot to lay. Yep, that is THE spot Petey has laid every single one of her eggs.

@jaykayhuff, have your girls started laying yet?

Congrat's! - If you put these eggs into an incubator, you will have sweet little ducklings again in just 28 days.

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

I am thinking it is hard to come here and learn proper English after years of speaking Britain English with all its errors...

One thing about the internet and all the choices we have for movies and TV shows is learning the slang of other English speaking countries.

However, because of my hearing loss, I find I need the closed captioning on to pick up the words on most British shows and movies. The accent makes understanding the words hard for me.

I have come to realise / ze that my spelling is not all it should be now I am here

I hope the captioning in the US is better than it is in the UK - I've seen some comedy gold courtesy of the BBC's rather crap attempts to caption.....

As for the telly thing - is it just me or are Brits a lot more creative with their swearing than our American cousins ? Not the best thing to be good at obvs !

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Nice egg haul !

Mine are still limping through their DUM (Damn ugly moult) - no eggs for aaaages

I'm doing vegan for a while but the OH is gutted - muesli for breakfast it is sunshine !

Tell me about it! - My property looks like the ducks had a violent pillow fight. They are so loosing many feathers that they've managed to clog up the 1½" drain pipe of the duck-pool.
And egg production is down to 10 eggs per day out of 17 ducks.

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

Tell me about it! - My property looks like the ducks had a violent pillow fight. They are so loosing many feathers that they've managed to clog up the 1½" drain pipe of the duck-pool.
And egg production is down to 10 eggs per day out of 17 ducks.

Are yours bickering too ?

Ours have managed to stagger their moult as well so some are through it and some are still in it - makes it feel like its been going on for ever as there is constant shouting and shedding !

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

For some reason I thought Italy’s seasons were in line with ours (USA), but maybe not. I just wouldn’t have thought yours were molting yet.

Kudos to you for doing vegan, but I’m more of a meat eater. Maybe vegan would make me lose weight though.

What is muelsi exactly?

You don't loose weight, just because you go vegan!
Forget everything about diets, "medications", weight watchers, slug-fast and all these suckers! They only want your money!
The only way to loose weight is to eat less calories than you burn every day. [period!]
I stopped to drink sodas to reduce my sugar input and lost over 20 Kilograms (46lbs) since 2015. Instead i drink sparkling water, mixed with a bit of juice (mostly apple). And since 2018 i have a lot of work to do outside, which increases my calorie burn rate,
One medical thing: Have your thyroid gland checked out. If you have Hypothyroidism - an underactive Thyroid gland - you will gain weight by just smelling at the yummy food.

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

You don't loose weight, just because you go vegan!
Forget everything about diets, "medications", weight watchers, slug-fast and all these suckers! They only want your money!
The only way to loose weight is to eat less calories than you burn every day. [period!]
I stopped to drink sodas to reduce my sugar input and lost over 20 Kilograms (46lbs) since 2015. Instead i drink sparkling water, mixed with a bit of juice (mostly apple). And since 2018 i have a lot of work to do outside, which increases my calorie burn rate,
One medical thing: Have your thyroid gland checked out. If you have Hypothyroidism - an underactive Thyroid gland - you will gain weight by just smelling at the yummy food.

Well done on that weight loss ! Do you feel any other benefit from dropping the sugar ?

I don't drink sugar either - I also don't like avocado and am allergic to nuts. So now I am eating vegan (even with the chips/fries and vegan mayo) its difficult to overdo it on the fat other than olive oil (pretend dairy isn't nice enough to binge on).

I think thats why I am losing weight - in volume terms, I am eating more than I ever have.

Going vegan was for the inflammation - losing some chub has been a happy side event.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

We are just at the end of Summer now, heading into Autumn. Where we are in the mountains, we have four distinct seasons - Summer is June to Aug and literally on the 1st of September, the temp drops by 10 degrees celsius (thank goodness, August is too hot !).

I've had some really hardcore allergies kick in courtesy of middle age - it was horrendous, I had joint inflammation, the lot. Going vegan has really really helped and in a matter of days - its not all grated carrot and dry chickpeas, I mastered vegan cookies (biscuits or biscotti for us) as a priority

Generally speaking, I would much rather manage things this way than with drugs where possible. Its not even just about personal preference when you live very rurally - there are practical considerations as well and thats before I get to the language barrier !

Muesli I think is Granola for you guys ?

Other translations include:

Crisps (us) / Chips (you)
Chips (us) / Fries (you)
Scones (us) / Biscuits (you)
Biscuits (us) / Cookies (you)
Grill (us) / broil (you)
Hot plate (us) / grill (you)
Fanny (you) / don't use that in the UK. Really, just don't.............

I am sure there are way more - It's a miracle we can communicate at all !

Oh and yes, this is the easiest weight loss ever although there is plenty of it to go !

I too learned the »King's English« and occasionally drive everybody mad, talking about "Aluminium Foil" and "colourful flowers", for example.
And saying sentences like "Its nice outside, isn't it?" are always good to confuse people here!
See also Stewie Griffin and Eliza Pinchley

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I know pig Latin!!!

Oh Ralphie! I am so sure you also speak Xicken! And you understand Dux! - At least you need to understand what your arch enemies are talkquacking about.